The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-03-11

Persons VINO have very small means
and who Aaye made up their minds to
engagefn the occupation of farming
are sfmost certain to commence on
plsce that Is not improved. The temp
eation held out by the homestead, pre-
emption, and timber-claim laws has In
duced very many poor people to take
upland and occupy it for term of
years SO that they can secure title to
it without the payment of purchase
money. The agents of land grant rail-
way companies have attempted to show
prospective settlers how easy It Is 20
buy tract Of land f0F q farm and to
make the payments for it out Of the
money received for crops. Their show
ings always ''lOok well on paper" In
their calculations no allowances are
made for bad seasons, the depredations
of insects, the losses by fire and flood,
or for sickness. A presentation is
made of the average yield Of the var
ious field crops raised in the vicinity,
which, quite likely, is truthful. The
prospective purchaser, however, is not
informed that these yields have been
obtained only on farms that have been
under cultivation several years, and
that they can not be expected on ''new
breaking"
The enthusiastic young farmer, es-
pecially if he has had no experience on
a new place, does not take into consid-
Grafton all the difficulties he will have
to contend with. He oyerestimates his
crops and underestimate the labor and
money to produce them. He will not
be convinced till he learns by expert
ence that but little food for his family
can be produced from land whose sod
has not been subdued so that it can be
pulverized by the harrow. Neither
can he be convinced that the crops he
can raise on such land will bring but
small price in the market, for the
reason that they will be small in guam
tity and poor in quality. With fay
orable season, corn can be raised on
sod turned the year the breaking is
done, but the chances are that none of
it will be fit to use for human food,
and that none of it can be sold in the
general market. If cut up and fed
with the stalks, cattle will derive bene-
fit from it, but the average new settler
has not stock enough to eat the hay he
can obtain for the trouble of cutting
and curing. The crop of fiaxseed
raised on ''new breaking will ordip-
arily pay the cost of blowing, seeding,
harvesting. and thrashing, but it will
rarely ever do more than that even if
the season is favorable and prices are
good. ...a. ........ .-.--.... ....
Ordinarily five years will be required
to make a new farm paying institu-
ton, if the owner or ocoupier has no
outside funds to draw upon. 1t may
support man and small family, but
the support win be very poor The
life led on such aFpiace will neeessari-
ly be hard. There can be very few
pleasures or conveniences. The press
ing want of money to pay taxes, to
purchase tools. to buy stock, and to
procure fuel and clothing will be con-
stantly felt. The hope of better times
in the future may tend to make the oc-
cupants contented with their lot, but
it will not supply them with present
pleasures. As a rule none but persons
of fortitude, energy, and large stock
of patience and perseverance can en-
dure the strain-the lack of comfort
and the deprivations incident to get
ting new place under cultivation. OF
those who attempt it the proportion
that fail is very large. A protracted
sickness of member of the family, a
disastrous drought, visitation of de-
structive insects, or fire is quite GER
tain to result in absolute ruin. With
no serious misfortune making money
to pay for land or to discharge obliga-
tons with farm products at their pres
ent prices is ordinarily out Of the ques-
ton.
The chances for success on an inn
proved farm are better than on a place
which at the start is nothing but q
wild forest or prairie. 1t is true that
the improved farm costs much more
money, but it is in condition to make
immediate returns. There are fences,
buildings, and wells, and these consti-
tute the great iteIn of expense in i'm
proving a newS pace. 1t is also likelf
that there are some trees for producing
fruit, supplying shade, and affording
protection against the wind and snow.
These, by promoting comfort, viii ena-
BILE the occupants of the place to do
more work with less fatigue The soil
on large proportion of the land will be
subdued and in condition to produce
large crops of good quality. The fam
lily can be supplied with nearly all the
food it needs, and the store bills can
be made very small. Commercial
farming can be engaged in at once.
All the money realized from the sale of
crops and stocks, aside from what is
required to support the family, can be
devoted to paying for the place. The
interest paid on debt secured by q
mortgage on an improved farm is gem
orally much lower than that which one
has to pay on money borrowed and
secured by chattel mortgage on stock
and tools. The former generally re-
presents the lowest and the latter the
highest rate for the most money.
Observation in large towns ordinari-
~ shows that house or store can be
bought for much less than it can be
built. Necessity is constantly compel
ling people to part with buildings for
less than it cost to build them. The
like is true in regard to farm property.
Many persons fail for want of skill or
Judgment, become sick or die just as
they get farms very well improved and
in good condition to become paying
property. These farms can often be
bought for what the improvements on
them cost, or for trille more. This
is not the case in wealthy farming dis
tricts, in the states that have been set
tied for some time, as there one is like
ly to have to pay for his share in cost
ly public buildings, roads, and bridges,
as well as for educational, religious,
and social advantages. In some por-
tons of Illinois, Michigan, and other
states land Is held for more than it is
worth for legitimate farming purposes,
But this is not the case in most of the
states and territories, in many of
them farms in condition to pay hand
some returns on the Investment can be
bought for what the improvements on
them cost. The owners obtain the land
for nothing and are willing to sell IL
for the same price, providing they can
obtain compensation for the money and
labor they have expended on it.-Chi-
cdgo Times.
THE FEEDING VALUE OF OATS,
The better farm economy and the
feeding value of farm crops arp under